# Can you pay cash to ride your local bus system? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 30, 2015, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-pay-cash-to-ride-your-local-bus-system/723862 "2015-06-30T09:45:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Iggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iggy/32/3364_2.png) [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2015, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-pay-cash-to-ride-your-local-bus-system/723862/21 "2015-06-30T20:31:31Z")
Cash only in Cayman, payable upon exiting the bus. Local or US currency accepted. There are no day passes or such. The bus system here is an amalgamation of privately owned minibuses. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2015, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-pay-cash-to-ride-your-local-bus-system/723862/22 "2015-06-30T20:43:27Z")
There will always be the need to accommodate the “occasional” rider, who does not need or want a monthly pass, and may not have been able to get a ticket at the local CVS. Not every community has a CVS on every corner. Do you first have to take the bus to the CVS to get a ticket to get on a bus? Toll bridges are getting like that too. The Golden Gate Bridge, for example, doesn’t have toll takers any more. It’s all done with transponders and pre-paid accounts. For the regulars, that is. For the occasional driver and tourists (the Golden Gate Bridge, apparently, being sometimes used by tourists), the protocol is you just blow through without stopping. You car gets its picture taken. Within a few days, at your leisure, you’re supposed to find your way to the [GG Bridge web site](http://goldengatebridge.org/) and pay your toll on-line there, or read about other payment options. Somehow, every driver is supposed to know this. Maybe there are big signs posted at the bridge. I haven’t been there for several years. ETA: Just looked at the GG site. You can get on-line and pay within 48 hours. Otherwise, they will mail an invoice to the registered address of the vehicles, and you have 21 days to pay, with no added charges or penalty. ---
**Author:** ![RickG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rickg/32/5174_2.png) [@RickG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickG)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2015, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-pay-cash-to-ride-your-local-bus-system/723862/23 "2015-06-30T20:45:15Z")
> [@FuriousGeorge](#): > > Denver, yup… two bucks and a quarter… no change. The light rail, however, needs a ticket first. RTD, represent. I’ll add that transfers on the bus are free. You can buy paper tickets at transit stations and most supermarkets (I think the supermarkets only sell them in books of 10, at a discount to face value). I have an annual Neighborhood Eco-pass, which is basically an unlimited ride smart card–touch the pad when entering the bus and go. Even with that, I still have to pay $2.50 each way on the airport bus (full cash fare: $13), which pretty much requires cash. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2015, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-pay-cash-to-ride-your-local-bus-system/723862/24 "2015-06-30T21:44:42Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > Anybody know why they have all this complicated bus pass business instead of a credit/debit card reader? Why not both? They’re ripping up the coin operated parking meters and replacing them with the kind you can swipe a card at, I hope buses are the next municipal service to be updated to 21st century payment standards. > > St. Louis is always one of the last to get this stuff, are there other cities that let you swipe a card to ride the bus? I know Madison had the “smart” parking meters years before St. Louis did. The Chicago system allows use of a chipped credit or debit card on both buses and trains. No swiping. Cash can be used on buses only, no change or transfers. Otherwise, Ventra cards or chipped debit/credit cards everywhere. ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2015, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-pay-cash-to-ride-your-local-bus-system/723862/25 "2015-06-30T22:01:21Z")
> [@SeaDragonTattoo](#): > > The Chicago system allows use of a chipped credit or debit card on both buses and trains. No swiping. Cash can be used on buses only, no change or transfers. Otherwise, Ventra cards or chipped debit/credit cards everywhere. Let’s clarify, most people think that a “chipped” credit card means a “Chip & PIN” or EMV credit card. The Chicago system does not accept this kind of card. The Chicago system accepts the “contactless” cards, which is kind of a misnomer since you have to actually press them firmly against the card reader. These are the kind of cards that have a little passive RF transmitter in them like Visa Paywave or Mastercard Paypass. Ironically, about the same time that the new fare payment system was rolled out, US banks pretty much decided to phase out that technology. However, the contactless technology is still going strong in exotic foreign lands like Canada. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2015, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-pay-cash-to-ride-your-local-bus-system/723862/26 "2015-06-30T22:12:46Z")
New Jersey Transit accepts cash. Some buses make change, some are correct change. You can buy bus tickets and (my method) monthly passes, which make life much easier. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2015, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-pay-cash-to-ride-your-local-bus-system/723862/27 "2015-06-30T22:26:07Z")
The suburban bus system where I live is not yet on the Bay Area Clipper system, so they have their own methods. You can pay cash on the bus, use a 10-ride pass or monthly pass. There are some cash options available like buying just that ride or a day pass, as long as you tell the driver so they can poke the appropriate button on their panel, and the farebox gives change as “store credit” vouchers rather than actual money. San Francisco’s buses are on Clipper, so it’s been years since I’ve entered a Muni bus by the front door, but I’m pretty sure they still accept cash. The SF Muni Metro (light rail/underground) and BART both have automated faregates that do not accept cash. You need to either buy a ticket at a ticket vending machine or tag a Clipper card. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2015, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-pay-cash-to-ride-your-local-bus-system/723862/28 "2015-06-30T22:26:53Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > There will always be the need to accommodate the “occasional” rider, who does not need or want a monthly pass, and may not have been able to get a ticket at the local CVS. Not every community has a CVS on every corner. Do you first have to take the bus to the CVS to get a ticket to get on a bus? I understand the picture you are painting, but it just doesn’t happen. 95% of riders fall in to a couple categories: 1. Semi-occasional riders who ride anywhere from every day to a few times a year. 2. People who are planning to take public transit once or for a short time in some particular circumstance (including tourists) These people can go to any of the 400 retail outlets that sell SmarTrip cards (including at airports) and get one. It fits in a wallet, is good forever, and is as easy to buy as a stick of deodorant. Or they can have one mailed to their homes. Or they can pay cash. The number of people who are just waking down the street, at some single point in their life, spontaneously decide “Hey, I know, just this once I’ll take a bus!” are vanishingly rare-- and they can still pay cash. It makes no sense to install expensive, finicky, and slow credit card readers for such rare situations. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-pay-cash-to-ride-your-local-bus-system/723862/29 "2015-07-01T01:58:48Z")
AMA in San Juan still takes cash. (The sheer power of utter astonishment that a Metropolitan bus actually showed up that goes anywhere even in the same compass direction as your desired route within the same approximate labor shift, may however make you drop your money…) The train uses the NYMTA-style farecard. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-pay-cash-to-ride-your-local-bus-system/723862/30 "2015-07-01T02:33:12Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > AMA in San Juan still takes cash. > (The sheer power of utter astonishment that a Metropolitan bus actually showed up that goes anywhere even in the same compass direction as your desired route within the same approximate labor shift, may however make you drop your money…) > > The train uses the NYMTA-style farecard. And the farecard can be used in the buses as transfer. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-pay-cash-to-ride-your-local-bus-system/723862/31 "2015-07-01T02:37:26Z")
Yes but its a pain for you and everyone else. The fare boxes accept cash but the drivers carry no change and the “cash” part of the box is slow and hard to use. The “tickets” are so easy to get so many different places that there isn’t much need and we have monthly and annual passes. Much better option. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-pay-cash-to-ride-your-local-bus-system/723862/32 "2015-07-01T02:48:48Z")
I’ll just note, this is another strong reason to have dollar (and eventually higher) denominated coins. Coin acceptors are faster and more reliable than paper. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-pay-cash-to-ride-your-local-bus-system/723862/33 "2015-07-01T02:52:59Z")
The Richmond city buses take cash. But it seems to me I heard they are doing away with that and making people buy tickets. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-pay-cash-to-ride-your-local-bus-system/723862/34 "2015-07-01T03:33:02Z")
Columbus: Yes, and the other options look pretty dire if you’re an occasional rider. A vending machine downtown sells multiple-ride tickets, but it appears that’s the only place they’re sold. Day passes are available, but apparently only for cash from a bus driver. Weekly and monthly passes are available at lots of stores, but they’re not economical if you aren’t using them for a daily commute. Also, if you’re on a week or day pass you have to pay a 75 cent cash surcharge to board an express bus. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_Hey\_Paula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hey\_Hey\_Paula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_Hey_Paula)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-pay-cash-to-ride-your-local-bus-system/723862/35 "2015-07-01T03:48:51Z")
I very rarely ride the bus, in fact in the last five years, I’ve only ridden the bus when I’ve had to drop a car off at Pep Boys for repair three miles away, and didn’t feel like walking home. I always pay cash (I make sure to bring enough quarters to pay the fare). I think it’s $1.75 per boarding nowadays. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-pay-cash-to-ride-your-local-bus-system/723862/36 "2015-07-01T04:25:39Z")
Updating my first answer: I checked with my admin after my earlier post, and she says the reason I never see people paying cash is because I only ride in the late afternoon. In Memphis, a day pass is exactly twice the price of a one-way fare. Anybody catching the bus I’m the morning probably needs to return on the bus and maybe a transfer as well and so buys an all-day pass on that first ride. Only the very occasional and evening-only riders, like me, would not buy a day pass. ---
**Author:** ![Kaio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c68b51/32.png) [@Kaio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaio)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-pay-cash-to-ride-your-local-bus-system/723862/37 "2015-07-01T09:11:06Z")
> [@Alley\_Dweller](#): > > Let’s clarify, most people think that a “chipped” credit card means a “Chip & PIN” or EMV credit card. The Chicago system does not accept this kind of card. > > The Chicago system accepts the “contactless” cards, which is kind of a misnomer since you have to actually press them firmly against the card reader. These are the kind of cards that have a little passive RF transmitter in them like Visa Paywave or Mastercard Paypass. Ironically, about the same time that the new fare payment system was rolled out, US banks pretty much decided to phase out that technology. However, the contactless technology is still going strong in exotic foreign lands like Canada. Also, as noted previously, you can’t get the discounted transfer fare when paying with your contactless credit/debit card. With a Ventra card, first ride is full fare, first transfer is 25 cents, second transfer is free. With a bank card, it’s full fare for every ride. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-pay-cash-to-ride-your-local-bus-system/723862/38 "2015-07-01T09:20:46Z")
Oslo metro area, Norway. Yes, but a single one zone ticket will cost you 50 NOK, compared to the 30 NOK you pay for a ticket bought from a vending machine, or using one of the multiple card options using contactless cards (I use “travel money”, where my card is loaded with 200 NOK and I pay single fares as needed), or using the transport company’s app. (I’d use that, but I worry about running out of battery.) ---
**Author:** ![Telperion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telperion/32/509_2.png) [@Telperion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperion)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-pay-cash-to-ride-your-local-bus-system/723862/39 "2015-07-01T16:37:39Z")
Regional buses will accept cash, but city buses won’t. However, it is possible to pay by text, which I still find a bit weird. ---
**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-pay-cash-to-ride-your-local-bus-system/723862/40 "2015-07-01T16:40:45Z")
Yes, for the [bus system](http://www.itsmarta.com/fares-passes.aspx) in Atlanta. But that does not include a transfer between bus/rail, so people are better off buying a Breeze card. ETA: I don’t know about the bus systems in the surrounding counties. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-pay-cash-to-ride-your-local-bus-system/723862.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-pay-cash-to-ride-your-local-bus-system/723862.md?page=3)